Lewis County Herald - Serving Hohenwald, Lewis County Tennessee Since 1898

Troy Wesson Kilpatrick, 89 of Old Hickory, Tennessee passed away after a long illness Thursday November 9, 2023, at his home surrounded by members of his family.

He was born on February 16, 1934, to Allen Brice Kilpatrick and Emma Jane Grinder Kilpatrick. Troy grew up in a home about six miles from downtown Linden. As the oldest of four siblings with rhyming first names, he spent many hours with his father hunting and fishing to help provide food for the family table.

He graduated from Linden High School in 1953 and left Tennessee to work in St. Louis. He worked at the Fisher Auto Body plant and made frequent trips home to visit his family and his girlfriend Shirley, who was still in high School.

On May 7, 1955, he married the love of his life, Shirley June Cotham in Corinth, Mississippi. The young couple moved to Nashville to build their life. A short time after he was drafted into the Army. This put their plans on hold for a couple of years as Shirley returned to Linden to live with her family while Troy worked as a clerk in the motor pool for the 3rd Armored Division for 18 months.

After his discharge from the Army, they went back to Nashville to build their future. He worked several different jobs. Their first child, a son, was born in March 1960. Troy was delivering meat products to small grocery stores and restaurants throughout Middle Tennessee.

His daughter was born in November 1965. During this time, he applied for and was hired to work at the DuPont plant in Old Hickory. He considered this to be the moment in his life when everything changed for him and his family. Within a year they bought a house in Old Hickory. Troy and Shirley joined the Old Hickory United Methodist Church and became members of a very active Sunday School class with several couples that were about the same age.

In 1985 DuPont sold the part of the Old Hickory plant where Troy worked to another company, Reemay. Both of his children were in college. Troy and Shirley were empty nesters.

Beginning in 1991 the grandbabies started coming regularly, ultimately there were four- Ryan, Devon, Chloe, and Brett.

In 2001, Shirley died after a brief illness. Troy was lost without her in his life. They had been married for 46 years.

A woman in the Sunday school class had lost her husband shortly before Shirley's death. They started talking and realized that they had a great deal in common. Troy and Betty Pugh Hunt were married on August 16, 2002. This was a second chance for both of them. They made the most of it. They enjoyed being with each other and spent their time with family and friends. Betty died on April 30, 2017.

Troy was preceded in death by his parents Brice and Emma Kilpatrick. His first wife Shirley. His second wife Betty, and his sister Loy Qualls.

Troy is survived by his son Mark (Dawn) Wesson Kilpatrick, a daughter Paula (Rex) Miller, grandchildren, Ryan Wesson Kilpatrick, Chloe (Aaron)Mowry, Devon Miller, and Brett Kilpatrick Miller. His brother, Roy (Judy) Kilpatrick and sister Joy (Billy Joe) Gordon, his special friend Jeanette Stuard. He is also survived by Miss Betty's daughter and her husband.

A gathering of family and friends was held Monday, November 13th at the Hermitage Funeral Home, in Old Hickory. Interment followed in Hermitage Memorial Gardens.